WNBA semifinals see Upsets, Controversy as โคaces andโ Lynx Face โขElimination
September 29, 2025 – The WNBA semifinals delivered โขdramatic results Sunday, with the minnesota Lynx’sโ season โending in defeat and the Las Vegas โAces pushed โto a โฃdecisive Game 5. Both outcomes were shadowed by concerns over officiating,โค continuing a trendโ throughout the postseason.
The Lynx’s โคseason concluded afterโ a heartbreaking loss, marking the second consecutive year the team โฃfell short of championship contention. Last year, Minnesota lost toโ the New York Liberty in a controversial Game 5, aโข game โขcoach Cheryl Reeve statedโค was “stolen from us.” This year, the Lynxโ played withoutโ MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier, sidelined by aโฃ left ankleโ injury sustainedโ inโข Game โ3, and โขfaced the gameโค without Reeve, โwho was suspended โby the league. โฃDespiteโข building a 13-point lead in the fourth โquarter, the Lynx were โคunable to โคhold on, ultimatelyโค falling โขinโฃ gameโ 4. Minnesota previously squandered a 20-point leadโ in Game 2, โa game they ultimately won.
Meanwhile, the Aces โขfailed to close โout their series โagainst โขthe Indianaโ Fever, forcing โขa winner-take-all Game โ5. Despiteโข aโ dominant 31-point performance from MVP A’ja Wilson, โsupported by Jackie Young (18 points) andโฃ Chelsea Grayโฃ (12 points) who combined for 61 of the Aces’ 81 points,โ Las Vegas struggled with foul trouble. NaLyssa Smith was limited to eight points in 22 minutes, and Smith, Gray, โฃand Young each finished with five fouls.โ Wilson described โขthe foul situation as “very captivating.”
officiating again became a central pointโ of contention following โคtheโค Fever’s Game 4 victory. Aces head โcoachโฃ becky Hammon criticized theโค free throw disparity,stating,”a lot of grabbing and holding โขdown (in the paint) that got โขcalled one way.” The Aces were awarded onyl 11 free throw attempts compared to the Fever’s 34, with Feverโ center Aliyah Boston drawing 13 free โthrows alone – more than theโข entireโ Aces team. The Aces committed 24 fouls, while the Fever were โcalledโค for โค17.
The Game 4 officiating crew – Isaac Barnett, Randy โrichardson, and Jenna Reneau – โฃalso worked the Phoenix Mercury’s Gameโ 3 โคwin over the Minnesota Lynx. Following that game, Lynx head coach cheryl Reeve publicly criticizedโข the crew โas “awful,” leading toโข her suspension for Game 4.
Hammon further commented, “They shot a lot of free throws. We didn’t. I appreciate it was a little tighter call, but tighter on โboth ends would’veโ been nice.”